Packing means for silos.



c. s. sAYfiE.

PACKING MEANS FOR SILOS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 5.1911.

' Patent-ed May 21,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

INVENTOR ATTOR N EY c. s. SAYHE. PACKING MEANS FOR SILOS.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Patented May 21, 1918.

APPHCAHON FILED FEB. 5,1917- INVENTOR ATTOR N EY a i. Y

CHARLES S. SAYRE, 0F ALBION, WISCONSIN.

PACKING MEANS FOR SILOS.

Application filed February 5, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Grmnnns S. SAYRn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Albion, in the county of Dane and State of. Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Packing Means for Silos, of which the following is a specification.

The'present invention has reference generally to storage buildings; and, the invention relates, more particularly, to an improved attachment for silos.

The invention has for its principal object to provide a packin device for silos, whereb the ensilage delivered thereinto will be eliiciently packed by automatic means, thereby, causingthe same to be properly preserved for subsequent uses.

An additional object of equal importance resides in the provision of novel means whereby the movement of the packing means can be adjusted, thus, permitting the same to compensate for the gradually increasing depth of ensilage within the silos.

' A further object of my invention is to provide a packing means which is so constructed as to permit the same to be used for packing ensilage in silos of various size, consequently,.eliminating the necessity of employing a plurality of different size packing means.

Still further, the invention aims to provide an efficient means for operating the packing means, whereby, the same will'be intermittently raised 2 and released and dropped onto the ensilage, the weight of the I said packing means being sufficient to properly pack or compress the ensilage.

Among otheraims and objects ,of the invention may be recited, the provision of a packing device of the character mentioned with a view to compactness, and in which the number of parts are few, the construction simple, the cost of production small, and

efficiency and operation high.

In order that the invention and the mannor of its application may be readily un derstood by those skilled in the art, l have in the accompanying illustrative drawings and in the detailed following description based thereon set forth a preferred embodi- 'ment of the invention.

Inthese drawings: Figure 1. shows a vertical section in sle Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 21, 191i.

Serial No. 146,798.

vation of a silo with my improved packing tion and elements mounted thereon being j shown in elevation, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of the walking beam.

Having reference to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views thereof I have shown for the purpose of illustration, the usual silo, designating the same by the numeral 1, the conical top of which is provided with a suitable opening 2 which may be closed by a door, Window or the like. The improvements embody a packing member, indicated in its entirety by the numeral 3, the same being adapted to compress or pack the ensilage 40 within the silo when operated by means which will be sub sequently described. The packing member 3, comprises substantially triangular side plates 4: which have interposed therebetween adj'acent'the bases thereof, a cross beam 5..

Bolts 6 or the like are passed through the side plates and the beam 5, thus, serving as means whereby the said elements will be connected. Sector shape packing arms 7 are arranged adjacent the opposite ends of the beam 5 and have formed therein, longitudinally extending slots 8, which slots are adapted to receive therethrough, the heads of bolts '9 carried by the ends of the said beam 5. By so connecting the segmental.

packing arms to the ends of the beam, it will be appreciated, that by loosening the bolts sliding movement of the packing arms will bepermitted and the same may be then adjusted to accord with the size of the silo in which the packing device is being used. Furthermore, the arms may be retracted so as to compensate for the reduction in the size of the silo when the packing means are in proximity ofthe bottom thereof, thus, permitting the packing arms to be moved free of the concrete or other foundation of the silo. A windin drum 10 is journaled between the side p ates i and has amazed the opening. 2.

thereto a crank handle 11, whereby the same will berotat'ed when so desired. 0 prevent reverse rotation of the Winding "drum 'a ratchet wheel 12 is secured theretoa'nd is adapted to rotate therewith, which wheel is engaged by the usual pivotal pawl 13, .mounted upon the adjacent side plate 4. A

"ero'ss' pin 14 is arranged between the side plates 1 at a point adjacent the apexesthere of and in addition to serving as a spacing means; for the side plates, whereby, the same raisedout of engagement with the ensil-age I 40. preparatory to-being again dropped, a

bifurcated bracket portion 15 having a hook member 15%, is arranged over the upper marginal edge of the silo. Wall adjacent to An axle 16 is mountedi'n the sides of the bracket 15 and carries at the enfds'thereof, pulleys 16. ,A centering beam.

117 is pivotally mounted in the bracket 15 gupon a cross bolt 19 which may be pro :has' connected thereto cables 23, which cajected through any one of a series of apertures 18 arranged in the beam 17.

Byso mounting the centering beam 17, it will be understood that the same in addition to being mounted for oscillatory' movement, may be adjusted longitudinally in order that the inner end, thereof may be brought to. a point concentric with the cen-v ter of the silo, thereby, permitting the proper operation of the packing member 3.

A yoke '22 is pivotally secured to the outer end of the supporting beam 17 and bles are passed downwardly into engage- "ment with a fixedanchoring or securing ele-.

ment 2t and the said beamthus, maintained in thede'sired-position. Arranged upon the inner end ofthe supporting beam there is rotatably mounted a pulley '25, the same being of I the; double type.

Asa means'for hoisting the packing member 3,:acable 26 is secured at one end to the anchoring :pin 14; and is then passed upwardly over one sheave ofthe pulley 25,

. pulleys 16 and 25 whereupon the remaining end is connected to the-winding drum 10.

thence over one sheave of the pulley 16.

downwardly-into engagementwith the operating means, which will be hereinaftermore fully describechand is then returned upwardly over the remaining sheaves of the Byxrotating' the winding drum 19 through the medium of the crank handle 11, a portion of the cable 26 will be coiled thereabout and the packing member,-thus, hoisted or elevated.

Referring now to the means for operating 'the segmental packing'arms 7 ma the packing device, thatis, the means whereby the same'will be raised for a sullicicnt distance and then released and permitted to droponto the cnsi'lage 40, I employ preferably, t-he ordinary distributor which is used for conveying the cut ensilage to the pneumatic conveyor whereupon it is discharged intothe silo. This distributer, I have indicated in its entirety by the nun'leral 27, while the pneumatic conveyor, which is shown in. dotted lines is designated by the numeral 28. Upon the driving shaft 29,, I fixedly mount a cam 30,, which cam is adapted to be intermittently engaged with a pivotal arm 31, mounted upon the distributer as at 32 and carrying thereon, a pulley 33 about wliieh the cable 26 passed. Thus, u pon rotation of the driving shaft 29, the arm 31 will be intermittently depressed, which motion will cause the weighted packing member 3 to be intermittently raised and dropped onto the contents of the silo, consequently, sui icicntly packing or compressing the same therein.

'The operationof the construction may be reviewed as follows:

Assuming that the packing attachment has been arranged upon a si'lo, such slack as may be in the cable 26 is removed by rotating the winding drum 10, thereby, causing a portion of the cable to be coiled thereabout. A certain amount of ensilage then discharged into the silo, whereupon, the arm'31 is brought into a position to be engaged by the 'cam 30. Engagelneiit ofthe cam 30 with the said arm 31 will cause the packing member 3 to be intermittently raised and dropped onto the-ensilage within the silo, consequently,packing the same. As the depth of the ensilage increases, such slaek as may be in the cable 26 is again removed, in order, that the \veiglited'inember may be given its full upward movement before its drop onto the ensilage. Should the attachment be used within silos of different size, the pivotal supportingbeam 17 may be adjusted so. that the inner end thereof will directly over the center of the silo and be adjusted up'oncthe' beam 5 accordingly.

Although I have shown and described in this embodiment of my invention, a ez11ii which is carried 'upon the usual distributing machine, it is to be understgod that various forms of 'operating means for raising and dropping the packing member 3 may be our ployed, sncli as conditien or preference may dictate. Also, it will be understood that the packing member 3 isof a weight s'uliioicnt to properly compress the cnsilnge when the same is siiddenly dropped thereonto.

I claim 1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a packing member, said packing'member consisting" of side plates, a

cross beam secured to said side plates, packing arms adj ustably mounted upon said cross beam, whereby the packing arms may be adjusted to permit the packing member to be used in silos of various sizes, and means for reciprocating said packing member.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a packing member, said packing member comprising a pair of side plates, a cross beam fixedly secured to said side plates projecting therebeyond, sector shaped packing arms provided with longitudinally extending slots, said arms bearing upon the lower surface of said beam, bolts passing through said beam and said slots for retaining said packing arm in an adjusted set position, and means for reciprocating said packing member.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a packing member, said packing member consisting of a cross beam, means for supporting said cross beam, packing arms adj ustably mounted upon said cross beam, whereby the packing arms may be adjusted to permit the packing member to be used in silos of various sizes and means for reciprocating said packing member.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a packing member, means for reciprocating said packing member, said packing member having packing arms adjustably mounted thereon, whereby the arms may be moved to fit the packing member to be used in silos of various sizes.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a centering beam, means for supporting said centering beam upon a silo,

pulleys carried by said beam, pulleys carried upon said means, a packing member, a cable adjustably connected to said packing member and passing around said pulleys, and

means for intermittently drawing upon said lgable, thus reciprocating said packing mem- 6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a centering beam, means for pivotally supporting said centering beam, means for retaining said centering means in a set position, a packing member, means for reciprocating said packing member and supporting the same upon said centering beam.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination of a centering beam, a supporting bracket having a bifurcation, said supporting bracket bei ng adapted to be mounted upon the upper portion of a silo by receiving the silo within the bifurcation thereof, pulleys carried by said supporting bracket, said centering beam being adjustably mounted upon said bracket, pulleys carried by said centering beam, a packing member, a cable connected to said packing member and pass ing around said pulleys, thus permitting the packing member to be reciprocated by the movement of said cable, and means for re taining said centering beam in an adjusted set position.

In testimony whereof I ailiX my signature in presence of two witnesses:

CHARLES S. SAYRE. Vitnesses:

ESTHER CRANDALL, CHARLOTTE C. DAVIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

